


just ask (in the search of fools and utopias)

by grimalkinInferno, The Ocean (Vileplume)



Category: The Glass Scientists (Webcomic)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Passing Out, henry jekyll getting some sleep (against his will or NOT), warnings added upon request
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 12:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20291365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimalkinInferno/pseuds/grimalkinInferno, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vileplume/pseuds/The%20Ocean
Summary: He couldn't catch himself - he barely cushioned his fall with the arm holding the papers which crinkled as he clutched them against his chest, horizontal and disoriented. His arm throbbed a bit, and he blinked at the ceiling, the shadows cast over the shelves and the glass and the pretty poisons.What would someone say, if they found him like this?A series of hurt/comfort (disconnected?) short fics centered around Henry's horrible health and help.  Collab.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> also known as, phoenix submits to the mortifying ordeal of being known asdfghjnm
> 
> Phoenix (grimalkinInferno) did dialogue, I did description. Writing stuff for this is a bit like what it's like being back in theater iv, actually. phoenix is my playwrite, i am their director. we're all about catharsis and hurt/comfort cope fics in this house :)
> 
> "this is my emotional support impossible fantasy" - phoenix.
> 
> title from IAMX's _Volatile Times_  
please enjoy!

The papers hit the floor, scattering with light hissing sliding sounds all over the floor of Henry's office. He sat there, paused, uncomprehending... ah. His arm had hit the stack. Every bit of his body protested raising himself up out of his chair and spotting where the sheets had flown, but he did it anyway, intent on getting back on track. Much to do. No time to waste on crouching down, picking up two sheets at a time with one hand and cradling them in the other, to waste on struggling to get his fingers around one particular sheet under the desk, to waste on shifting in place and lifting the papers already picked up for balance, to waste on dragging it forwards when he knows he ought to have got up and walked around his desk to simply collect it directly from the floor, no time. His head was swimming, lurching. He curled up over the stack he had assembled and breathed. no time - he pushed himself up with a sharp inhale and a burst of energy and stumbled and tipped over, lightheaded and blind. He couldn't catch himself - he barely cushioned his fall with the arm holding the papers which crinkled as he clutched them against his chest, horizontal and disoriented. His arm throbbed a bit, and he blinked at the ceiling, the shadows cast over the shelves and the glass and the pretty poisons. 

What would someone say, if they found him like this?

It was fine. after all, no one would come for him. he just couldn't hold on any longer  
so he didn't, letting the feeling swamp him. sinking. in the murk his arm didn't hurt anym

\--

"...idn't see, not really. not where it counted. i only cared about what you might be hiding from me, not... if you were actually okay."

There was a hand running through his hair as Henry fuzzed into awareness. Gentle but idle, as if the action was not the focus of the owners mind. probably not. If he were to guess, the familiar voice he heard was the one doing this, as known as his own. It was too soft, too kind, too starkly contrasting what he'd known for the past however long. Was he dreaming? Something in him ached at the thought. If so, why of this? Was he that desperate for comfort?

The hand paused as the voice seemed to mull over what to say next. "I know you wouldn't blame me," was what they appeared to settle on. The warmth from the palm seeped into his scalp, and he froze as to not push up against the feeling. "You're too good for that. that doesn't stop me from wishing id done differently."

... Robert?

"No, not just that. I wish... you could see how important you are. Not what you do for anyone, just you. I wish you'd stop trying to fix everything alone, because when you hurt yourself like this..." a whisper now... "I almost can't handle it."

The words sunk in slowly, becoming unbearable. heavy with exhaustion, yet driven, he spoke, thoughtful automatic, on habit:

"... I'm sorry."

It was quiet, scratchy, full to the brim with exhaustion. He realized this, but he'd said what he wanted to. His eyes squinted open, sliding over the walls, the bedroom door, settling on Robert at his bedside, curls and all. His shirt was untucked and his hair was a mess, and his expression was one of someone who hadn't expected to be heard and responded to. He just hoped he would be understood. Judging by the look in Roberts eyes, though... 

"Please, don't be." not fully. Henry pushed up against the thick feeling of just having woken up from a deep inadequate sleep, struggling upwards. Robert didn't shift, holding him down, unconsciously gentle. 

"... What would you have me be, then?" Henry asked, a little desperately. 

That look just got worse. It was painful to see, but then it resolved, Robert's shutters coming back up. At this point Henry could see through them like glass. 

"... Asleep, for right now. you need it," he said, affecting a dry wryness, leaning back and crossing his arms. Henry missed the warmth terribly, abandoning his attempt to rise, falling back with a soft thump.  
Robert was still confused, still a little afraid, but if that would make things better...  
His eyes slipped closed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Everything felt suddenly, crushingly distant. He could fix this. Robert was upset, but there was - he was - Henry was -_

Henry was listening to Robert talk. "- and now youre avoiding us. You're not telling me anything - what am I supposed to think?" Henry was watching Robert speak.  
Nothing felt real. He wasn't even sure if he remembered how the argument started, but he remembers feeling like all of a sudden everything was just too, too much. Henry was watching Robert's face, uncharacteristically angry, frustrated. Worried. Distressed. That wasn't something Henry wanted at all. 

Everything felt suddenly, crushingly distant. He could fix this. Robert was upset, but there was - he was - Henry was - _You don't understand! I-I need to..._ he heard himself say. That didn't feel right. He took a deep breath against the heavy wooziness. He tried - "_i need..._" - again - "_need to..._" - His hand came up to clutch at his head, his unfocused eyes. His face felt very flushed and his composure was utterly shattered and that's just one more thing going wrong on this awful awful day, this..

"Henry?" and the sound of a step being taken forwards. The words kept slipping. Frustrating. Henry felt a distant kind of helpless horror. 

Somewhere in the back of Henry's head he could hear chatter - somewhere in the back of Henry's head was Hyde. Henry had no wish to listen at the moment. Robert....

_to..._

"HENRY!" Robert rushed forward to catch Henry as his knees buckled, losing strength with his voice. "Ah-!" Robert pulled back and put a hand on Henry's cheek. Henry didn't seem to realize he was pushing up against it - or maybe that was him pitching forward, visibly paling, vision fading out ....hearing..... "you're burning up... Henry, can you hear me? ... you need help... h......"

Everything fizzed out. 

\--

Standing in front of Dr. Jekyll's door, Jasper debated going in. He had some questions... earlier he had knocked on Jekyll's office, even poked his head in for a moment, but Jasper hadn't been able to find Dr. Jekyll anywhere. In passing, Mr. Archie had suggested checking the doctor's sleeping quarters when he had passed him and a crowd in the hall. He was here now, but... it did seem a little personal. Still, if it was about the exhibition, Jasper figured Jekyll wouldn't mind.... it certainly wouldn't hurt to knock. 

Steeling himself with a sharp breath in, he went to knock on the door and startled backwards as the door swung itself open sans knock. Jasper blinked. 

"... Rachel?" 

She looked squinty and worried, but she managed a smile when she recognized him at the other side of the door. "Oh, Jasper. D'you-"

"Whats going on?" came a voice from inside the room. The voice was familiar and posh and distinctly not Jekyll's. 

"It's Jasper," Rachel called back. Jasper tried to peek over her arm into the room. 

"Jasper?"

"Is Henry there?" Jasper asked. 

"What does he want?"

"Both of you, just-" Rachel leaned backwards and waved her hands in the air, then lurched forward and grabbed Jasper by the arm. "Jasper, get _in_ here."

"What- oh, ok." Jasper was pulled inside. The room was dim, the windows covered. Lanyon - _that's_ who the voice was - was hovering by the desk. In the bed, there was a lump. Jasper looked closer at the lump - under inspection, the lump revealed itself to be a pale-looking Henry Jekyll, or at least, paler than usual, which wasn't the most unusual thing about the sight, Jasper thought. The good doctor didn't seem the type to sleep in the middle of the day, or with company about. He didn't seem the type to sleep at all, actually. Despite the night before, Doctor Jekyll still seemed to Jasper to be the kind of person born awake and who'd die awake, pen in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, or maybe he wouldn't die at all, and continue his rounds in the morning like a charming, sparkling zombie. Jasper shook the thoughts aside. 

Rachel deposited Jasper by the foot of the bed. "Robert, tell Jasper what happened. ill be right back," Rachel said, and then dashed out of the room. 

"Where are you-" Lanyon began, but Rachel was already a gust of wind and a closing door. "Oh, never mind."

"What happened?" Jasper asked, staring at Jekyll. 

"I don't know exactly," Lanyon said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "He's been acting so strange lately, and I tried to confront him about it, and he just- broke, I guess." Jasper didn't know Lanyon very well, but he looked absolutely exhausted. Jasper figured he knew the feeling. 

"... Is he... ok?"

Lanyon raised one hand to shrug. "Probably? I don't know, I don't think he's been sleeping, or... anything, really. I've... never seen him like this..." he trailed off. 

"He's definitely been on edge recently," Jasper said, what with the exhibition and Frankenstein and the repairs to the society and all. "He didn't seem this bad last I saw him, though. Tired, for sure, He even slipped into his Glaswegian accent."

Lanyon's expression shifted. "Really? He hasn't had that accent in over a decade... What's gotten into him...?"

"I mean, with the exhibition coming up, Dr. Frankenstein needing a cure, and all the rest of the lodgers not listening to him..." Jasper felt helpless. Lanyon's expression kept changing, but Jasper thought he looked very much the same. He was staring at Jekyll's sleeping lump. Jekyll did not stir. 

The corners of Lanyon's mouth tightened. "... Why didn't he say something...? We're _there,_ for him, always, and yet..."

Jasper thought for a moment. "Maybe he was hoping you wouldn't notice," he said. Lanyon's expression finally settled on _haunted._

"... I guess I didn't," he said eventually. "Not where it counted, anyway."

\-- 

Lanyon ran into Rachel in the halls when the sky was black and the lights were blue. "How's he been?" he asked. 

"Worse than I thought... I think he's had a few nightmares, but he's just so exhausted..." Rachel's hands clutched at her skirt, stressed and sad. 

"... How did we let this happen?"

Rachel shook her head, wordless. 

"We promised each other it wouldn't get this bad again. Now it's even worse. I just wish I knew what was going on."

Lanyon fell silent too. They both stood there in the dark hallway, with their dark thoughts.

"... He's an idiot," Rachel eventually said, voice of exhaustion and familial love. 

"Yeah," said Lanyon, in a similar way. "But he's _our_ idiot." 

Rachel gave him a knowing, genuine smile, and with that, the two friends parted, burdened with their own important tasks.

**Author's Note:**

> ... actually, i dunno if these should be gen or rated higher. let us know in the comments?
> 
> thank you for reading! <3


End file.
